“Feminine style” and political judgment in the rhetoric of Ann Richards

This essay argues for a revised perspective of the theory of “feminine style” developed by Karlyn Kohrs Campbell to explain the characteristics of historical feminist rhetorical action. Using a case study of contemporary feminine style in the political discourse of Texas Governor Ann Richards, the authors argue that the formal characteristics of feminine style, such as reliance on concrete reasoning, personal disclosure, and audience participation, can be viewed as integrally related to a philosophical position grounded in the uniqueness of women's experience. They conclude that the form and content of Richards’ rhetoric function to critique traditional grounds for political judgment and to offer an alternative political philosophy based in traditionally feminine values of care, nurturance, and affective relationships. These conclusions have relevance both for the study of feminist rhetoric and for the development of a critical rhetoric.